Timing device for x-ray tubes and similar apparatus.



0.1-. FAYER'. v TIMING DEVICE FOR X-RAY. TUBES AND SIMILAR APPARATUS.

AP PLiOATIO'N FILED FEB.14, 1914.

Patented June 16 1914,

- 1 m 1 HI 4 m JHMII] 0. F. BAYER.

TIMING DEVICE FOR X-RAY TUBES AND SIMILAR APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 14, 1914.

Patented June 16 2 sHEETssHEET 2.

- during viewof the contactcontrol a cros section on line 6--6, Fig.3, and *lg;

STATES P rENT orrrou.

' cHALaLEs F.. BAYER, or New YORK, N. .Y., ASSIGNOR T0 WAIPIPLER ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 16, 1914.

Application filed February 14, 1914. Serial No. 818,633.

To all whom it may concern Be itlrnown that I, CHARLEs F. FAYER, a citiien of the United States, residing at New York city, county and State of New York,

have invent-ed a new and useful Timing De:

vice for X-Ray Tubes and Similar Appation This invention relates to a novel mecha' nism for automatically interrupting the exciting current of an X-ray tube after the same, has been applied to' the tube for a predetermined length of time, so that the operator has full control over the time of exposure necessary for taking perfect X-ra'y photographs. i

Briefly stated the device comprises a movable member carrying a pair of contacts which are automatically held open while the operator manually advances said member prior to the taking of a photograph. After being released, said member is automatically returned to its original position with closed contacts that cause the formationof" a circuit for exciting the X-ray tube, said contacts beingaga-in broken as soon as the member arrives at its terminal position.

The invention further includes readily ad j u'stablfe means for controlling the speed of said movable memh'ergvhile performing its return movement, so that the length. of time .which the contacts remain closed, may be regulated at the will of the operator.

"The invntion also comprises other novel features'of construction as more. fully pointed ou't the appe'ndedspecificatibn and claims. I

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a. horizontal section through atiming device embodying my invention, Fig; 2 a front View thereof, Fig. 3., a cross section. on line 3*?33 l ig. 1, Fig; at a sectional bottom view of Fig. 3, Fig. 5, an enlar ed sectional side li'ng lever, Fi 6 ratus, of .which the following is a specifica- 7 a wn: .ng' d1agram.

Upon the insulating base plate 10 of a.

casing 11. is firmly mounted an upright post 132 that serves as a fulcrum fbr a condhctive lever 01" movable; member 13. The u per free end of" post 12 is held in position ya fixed traverse 14 below which, a disk 15 is secured tosaid post. This disk is. provided' with' a depending" pin 16 that" is en-- gaged by one-end of a coiled spring 17 the other end of which engages lever 13 and tends to tilt the" same in the .direction of the arrow a (Fig. Lever 13 carries a relatively fixed plate 18 the free end of which is rovided with a contact screw, 19, plate 18 eing insulated from lever 13 by an intermediate layer 20 made of insulating material. Screw 19' is adapted to he engaged by a.contact 21 formed on one arm of a conductive bell crank or tap-pet 22 pivoted at 23to lever 13. To the other arm of fever 22which is influenced by a spring2 l, is secured a cord 25 that runs over an idler 26 carried by lever 13, the cord passing thence outward through an opening 27 provided in the face plate 11 of casing 11. The'iirst mentioned arm of lever 22 is adapted to engage astop 28 prov'idedon plate 10 and a stop29 carried'by lever 13 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1.

As thus far described it will be seen that Spring 24 has' the tendency to close the contacts 19, 21 Normally, however, said contacts are open owing; to the action of spring 17 which spring is considerably Sronger than spring 2land thus causes a movement of lever 13 in the direction of arrow a; This movement of lever 13 is arrested by the engagement of bell crank 22 with stop 28 wl'iereby the latter is tilted against the action of spring IZuntil said lever abuts against stop 29, by which meanscontacts 19", 21 are maintained in an 0 en position. For closing said contacts a pu" is 6XGI:C1SBLl.OI1 cord 25 'which transmits it's motion through .idler 26, bell crank 22 and stop 29 to lever 13, thereby tilting the latter until it bears against a fixed abutment 30 extending upwardly from base plate 10. During this movement "of lever 13, contacts 19, 21 remain open, while upon th'e'subsequentrele'ase of cord" 25, spring 2 1' is free to'turn bell crank 22" so as to close contacts 19,- 21, until' sprin 17 has returi 2d lever 13 to the position illhstrated in Fig. 1, thereby again b1' ea'kiI1-g. contacts 19, 21. The latter control the electric circuit of the X- ray lamp, which circuit is hereinafter moreany described, so that during the closing of such contacts, the X -ray tube is excited. In order to control the length of time of such excitation, means are provided that regulate the speed of the return movement of lever 13 after cord 25 has been pulled and released. In the present instance these means are shown to be pneumatic, although itis obvious that other equivalent means may be employed for the same purpose. The means shown consist essentially of a bellows 31 having a fixed board 32 and a movable board 33 which is connected with lever 13 through link 34. Board 32 is provided with a spring-controlled vent and a tube 36 for the admission of air into bellows 31. Tube 36 leads to an air controller 37 that is shown to be mounted on posts 33 and is manipulated by means of a knob 39. The latter turns in unison with a pointer 40 playing over a time scale or dial 41 provided on front plate 11 Knob 39 and pointer 40 are firmly mounted on a common axle 42 that carries a pinion 43 meshing into the rack 44 of a slide valve 45. The latter is guided by screws 46'provided with spring influenced flanged rollers 47 and is adapted to close the air inlet duct 48 of air chest 49 to a greater or less extent, the tube 36 above referred to opening into said chest.

The alternating current necessary for operating the device is supplied by a pair of electric mains 50, 51 of which main 50 is connected through branch 52 to a .clamp screw 53 of traverse 14 and consequently to lever 13 and contact 21. The plate 18 is connected to the winding 54 of an electromagnet 55 by wire 56, said winding being in turn connected to main 51 by wire 57. The armature 58 of electromagnet 55 is pivoted at 59 to said electromagnet and carries a pair of electrodes 60, 61 that are adapted to dip into a mercury cup 62. Electrode 60 is connected to wire 57 by wire 63, while electrode 61 is connected, by wire 64, to the movable contact 65 of an adjustable resistance 66; The latter is in turn, by wire 67, connected to the primary coil 68 of a step-up transformer 69 which coil is connected to main 50 by wire 70. The secondary coil 71 of transformer 69 finally, is connected by wires 72, 73 to the X-ray tube or other current consuming device 74 to be controlled by my timing mechanism.

In use, knob 39 is so set that hand 40 points toward that mark of dial 41 which corresponds to the period of time necessary for producing the desired X-ray picture, dial 41 being shown to comprise two seconds. After hand 40 has thus been properly set, a pull is'exercised on cord 25 until lever 13 abuts against stop 30, during which movement contacts 19, 21 remain open. As soon however, as cord 25 is released'spring 24 tilts lever 22 and thus brings contact 21 into engagement with screw 19, while at the same time, spring 17 returns lever 13 to its o.riginal position in which the contacts 19, 21 are again broken, owing to the engagement of lever 22 with stop 28. During the temporary closing of contacts 19, 21 an electric circuit is established, the current flowing from main 50 through the parts 52, 53, 14, 12, 13, 22, 21, 19, 18, 56, to the winding 54 of electromagnet 55, and thence through wire 57 to main 51. Owing to the energizing of electromagnet 55, its armature 58 is, attracted whereby electrodesOO, 61 are caused to dip into mercury cup 62 and a circuit is closed the current of which flows from main 50 throiwh wire 70, primary winding 68, of transtbrmer 69, wire 67, resistance 66, contacts 65 wire 64, electrode 61, the mercury contained in cup 62, electrode 60, and wires 63, 57 to main 51. In this way a secondary current is induced in transformer-winding 71, that is conducted to the X-ray tube74 through wires 72, 73. It will thus be seen that the X-ray tube 74 is excited during the home stroke of lever 13, while the speed of said home stroke depends upon the position to which pointer 40 and consequently valve 45 have been set. During each pull on cord 25, bellows 31 are collapsed owing to the connection of members 13, 33 by link 34, the air v previously entrapped within bellows 31 escaping throrgh vent 35. After the release of cord 25, t e velocity of the movement of lever 13 imparted thereto by spring 17, will be the greater the more port 48 is uncovered by valve 45. Thus by properly setting said valve, the speed of the return movement of lever 13 and consequently the length of time during which the X-ray tube 74 is excited, may be regulated at will.

It is obvious that the construction of my I novel timing device and the manner in which the electric current is supplied and conducted there through may be modified in various manners to adapt the same to different conditions without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described,

a' movable member, a contact making and breaking device carried thereby, means for moving said member in one direction during which movement the device automatically breaks contact, independent means for moving said member in the opposite direction during which last named movement said device automatically makes contact, means for regulating the speed of said member during said last named movement, and means for automatically breaking contact at the terminal of said last named movement.

'2. In a device of the character described, a spring-influenced movable member, a relatively fixed first contact carried thereby, a'

second spring-infiuenced contact also carried 1 by said member and movable relatively thereto, manually operable means cotiperating with the second contact for moving said member in the direction against the action ofthe spring influencing the member, and 1..)

means for controlling the speed of said member during its spring-actuated return movement.

3. In a device ofthe character described, a spring-influenced lever, a relatively fixed contact carried thereby, a spring-influenced tappet fulcrumed to said lever'and adapted to engage the contact, a stop on said lever adapted to be engaged by the tappet, means for tilting said tappet away. from the contact into engagement with the stop, means cooperating with the tappet for maintaining said engagement bet-Ween tappet and stop and for simultaneously tilting the lever in the direction against the action of the spring influencing the same, and means for controllingthe speed of said lever during its spring-actuated return .movement.

it. In a device of thecharacter described, a spring-influenced movable member, a relatively fixed first contact carried thereby, a second spring-influenced contact also carried by said member, and movable relatively thereto, manually operable means coope'rati'ng with the second contact for mov-- ing said member in the direction against the action of the spring influencing the member, a bellows operatively' connected to said member, and manually operable means for controlling the admission of air to said bellows.

5. In a'device of the character described,

a spring-influenced lever,a relatively fixed contact carried thereby, a spring-influenced tappet fulcrumed to said lever and adapted to engage the contact, a stop on said lever adapted to be engaged by the tappet, means for tilting said tappet away from the con- 'said engagement between tappet and stop tact into engagement with the stop, means cooperating with the tappet; for maintaining and for simultaneously tilting the lever in the direction against the action of the spring influencing the same, a bellows operatively connected to the lever and adapted to be collapsed during said tilting of said lever, and-means for controlling the admission of air to said bellows.

6. In a device of the character described,

a spring-influenced lever, arelatively fixed cont-act carried thereby, a spring-influenced bell crank fulcrumed to said, lever and adapted to engage said contact, a stop on said lever adapted to-be engaged by said bell crank, a stationary stop also adapted to be engaged by the bell crank, a cord 'connected to the bell crank, a bellows opera tively connected to the lever, and means forregulating the admission of air to said bellows.

7. In a device of the character described,

a reciproca-tive member, a contact making and'breakingdevice carried thereby, means for moving .said member in one direction and for simultaneously breaking contact, means for moving the member in the .opposite direction, means for simultaneously making contact, means for regulating the 9. In a device of the character described,

a lever carrying a contact making and breaking device, manually operable means for tilting said lever and for simultaneously breaking contact, automatic means for returning said lever, means for simultaneously making contact, means-for regulating the speed of the lever during said return movement, and automatic means for breaking contact at the terminal of such return movement. a

CHARLES F. FAYER. Witnesses FREDERICK H. WAPPLER, FRANK SKRoUD. 

